Rooftop Films Sets Summer Series

Rooftop Films has announced the May and June portion of its 2009 Summer Series, dubbed their "13th year of Underground Movies Outdoors," which will run every weekend from May 15-September 20 in New York City.

Rooftop Films has announced the May and June portion of its 2009 Summer Series, dubbed their "13th year of Underground Movies Outdoors," which will run every weekend from May 15-September 20 in New York City.

Programming for the 2009 Summer Series includes feature-length films and programs of shorts, all new, all independent. Most of the feature films are either New York, US or World Premieres. Most screenings will include a filmmaker Q & A. More details will be available next week, including information about live music, ticket sales, after-parties and more... So check back with their website.

Friday, May 15This Is What We Mean By Short FilmsOpening Night of Rooftop Films 2009 Summer Series, our 13th year of Underground Movies Outdoors. A program of dramas, comedies, animations and documentaries that could only be shorts, in an array of tales about people, polar bears and pixel-based adventurers coming together for companionship.Venue: On the Open Road Rooftop above New Design High SchoolAddress: 350 Grand St. @ Essex (Lower East Side, Manhattan)Rain: In the event of rain the show will be Sun 5/17 at the same location. Check www.rooftopfilms.com or call 718-417-7362 on the day of the event if the weather seems questionable.

Friday, May 22Romantic Short Films: Endless ForgivenessPeter Ustinov once said, “Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit.” Love isn’t easy, and the films included in Romance Shorts: Endless Forgiveness display the many varied sacrifices we make to be with the people we love and lust after.Venue: On the Open Road Rooftop above New Design High SchoolAddress: 350 Grand St. @ Essex (Lower East Side, Manhattan)

Saturday, May 23Dangerous DocsYou can’t make this stuff up. Venue: On the Roof of Brooklyn Technical High SchoolAddress: 29 Fort Greene Place (Fort Greene, Brooklyn)

Friday, May 29Dark ‘Toons: Optical IllusionsAnimated short films that bring the still to life.Venue: On the Open Road Rooftop above New Design High SchoolAddress: 350 Grand St. @ Essex (Lower East Side, Manhattan)

Saturday, May 30Strongman (Zachary Levy | New York, NY | www.strongmanfilm.com | 113 min.) A humorous but heart-wrenching verité documentary about Stanless Steel, the only man in the world who can bend a penny with his fingers, a working class strongman struggling to succeed and survive. Stanless will be in attendance to perform a stunning feat of strength. Venue: On the Roof of Brooklyn Technical High SchoolAddress: 29 Fort Greene Place (Fort Greene, Brooklyn)

Friday, June 5Trapped Inside The MachineA fun, frantic, fantastical program of films about losing your grip on reality, and reality losing its grip on the world. Venue: On the Open Road Rooftop above New Design High SchoolAddress: 350 Grand St. @ Essex (Lower East Side, Manhattan)

Saturday, June 6Stingray Sam(Cory McAbee | Brooklyn, NY | www.stingraysam.com | 70 min.)New York Premiere!A dazzling six-episode musical-western comedy that takes place in outer space, written, directed by and starring Cory McAbee, the creator of The American Astronaut. The filmmakers will be in attendance.Venue: On the Roof of Brooklyn Technical High SchoolAddress: 29 Fort Greene Place (Fort Greene, Brooklyn)

ROOFTOP PANORAMA, June 10-13: Four screenings in four days highlighting the diversity of Rooftop Films work.

Wednesday, June 10PANORAMA: Tales of Mere ExistenceFunny films about anxiety, awkwardness and existential emotions, featuring the animations of internet sensation Lev. Plus a live reading from Lev's new book.Venue: On the Roof of Brooklyn Technical High SchoolAddress: 29 Fort Greene Place (Fort Greene, Brooklyn)

Thursday, June 11PANORAMA: Rooftop Films & The Fledgling Fund present . . . A sneak preview of a New York documentary. Details announced soon. Venue: On the lawn of Automotive High SchoolAddress: 50 Bedford Ave. @ North 13th St. (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)

Friday, June 12PANORAMA: New York Non-FictionShort films that explore New York’s diverse landscape and culture from the perspective of our workers, hustlers, lovers and royalty. It’s your city. Take a look.Venue: On the Open Road Rooftop above New Design High SchoolAddress: 350 Grand St. @ Essex (Lower East Side, Manhattan)Rain: In the event of rain the show will be Sun 6/14 at the same location. Check www.rooftopfilms.com or call 718-417-7362 on the day of the event if the weather seems questionable.

Saturday, June 13PANORAMA: Persona Non GrataUS Premiere!(Fabio Wuytack | Belgium & Venezuela | 90 min.) Prosecuted as a rebel. Banned as a priest. Committed as an artist. Loved as a father. An inspiring and important documentary co-funded by Rooftop Films. Venue: On the roof of the Old American Can FactoryAddress: 232 3RD St. @ 3rd Ave. (Gowanus/ Park Slope, Brooklyn)

Friday, June 19Winnebago ManNew York Sneak Preview!(Ben Steinbauer | Austin, TX | www.winnebagoman.com | 84 min.) Ben Steinbauer hires a private detective, who scours a long list of address changes and misdirections, and successfully tracks down this icon of foul-mouthed freakouts. The results will startle you. Turns out, he’s living peacefully alone in the woods, more J.D. Salinger than Ted Kaczynski. Venue: On the Open Road Rooftop above New Design High SchoolAddress: 350 Grand St. @ Essex (Lower East Side, Manhattan)

Thursday, June 25Rooftop Films, BAM Cinemafest and Arthouse Films presentWilliam Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe(Sarah and Emily Kunstler | Brooklyn, NY | 85 min.)He might have been the most hated and most beloved lawyer in the world, but did anyone really know William Kunstler?Venue: Outdoors across from BAM CinematekAddress: Parking lot across from BAM @ Fulton and Ashland (Ft. Greene, Brooklyn)

Saturday, June 27Voices from El-Sayed(Oded Adomi Leshem | Israel | 75 min.)New York Premiere!In this smart and amusing documentary, the world’s largest community of deaf people is suddenly given a gift that threatens to disrupt local heritage. Venue: On the roof of the Old American Can FactoryAddress: 232 3RD St. @ 3rd Ave. (Gowanus/ Park Slope, Brooklyn)

And unless otherwise noted, in the event of rain shows take place indoors at the same location, same time. Filmmakers please note: if you submitted a movie for consideration, they still may program your film. At this time we are only releasing our May-June schedule. Programming for July, August and September will be finalized in June, and all filmmakers will be notified about the status of their films in June.